03 | VIDEO

[amygdalae]

[Yeah, so. Still no Bruce on this D-Terminal, sorry. It's Floramon, once again, and this time he just looks even more worried than ever, if that was even possible.]

So... uh. [He shifts uneasily for a moment, looking pretty much like the world's most uncertain Digimon right now--which probably isn't that all far from the truth.] Bruce hasn't talked to me at all since we got to Hospitown.

[Pause.]

I'm not even sure what the problem is, this time. He just... doesn't talk. I tried to talk to him a couple of times already, but he just either doesn't respond or just says something like 'Later' and then stays in his room and doesn't come out. I asked him once if it was something I did and he said he wasn't but he still isn't talking to me at all and I...

[He just wilts here, this time. Almost literally wilts because with all of this happening, Floramon is becoming sure of one thing:]

I'm useless, aren't I? Maybe that's why he doesn't want me anymore.

Comments

[brokenground]

[Dorumon spreads his claws, in an almost humanlike helpless gesture.]

I agree. We SHOULD be able to discuss anything with our partners. They should feel like they can tell us anything. We'll keep it a secret if they want.. but I think.. Some of them don't really understand that it's okay to rely on others, or just don't want to for other reasons. My own rarely talks to me, and never about things that seem to upset him the most. He says he's 'stronger than that'... and he won't talk to me about what's wrong. I think maybe yours is the same way.

[It's a sad situation, and one Dorumon did not approve of. But he knew it had to be adapted to. If their Chosen woudn't, they'd have to instead..]

It's kind of scary, not knowing if your Chosen even likes you, but if he hasn't told you to go away and that you're unwanted yet then he probably does like you. But if he's afraid or angry or hurt, there's not a lot you can really do except be there for him when he needs you. Maybe bring him nice things to eat or drink. There's a lot of ways to show you care at least, even if he won't in return. Maybe he'll come to appreciate it...

[Dorumon wanted to offer some better solution, but he hadn't found one yet.]

[amygdalae]

[There's a quiet pause as Floramon tries to think about this. Bruce... doesn't exactly go that he's 'stronger than that' - rather, in his own fashion, he constantly admits that he's not strong, which is why Floramon thought they were okay. He thought it meant that Bruce was depending on him, but then now...]

Honestly I don't know if he'll ever tell me directly if he doesn't like me, or something. He's... Bruce is really nice. Like, the only thing nicer than him is a Baby level or something, if that makes sense. He even lets Tony bully him and he doesn't even get angry or annoyed at all.

[All he does is to sigh a lot or something which... Floramon doesn't understand at all.]

He's never really talked much to me from the beginning since we've met, but now, since coming here... he barely talks at all. And I don't know why he does that.

[brokenground]

[Which was why Dorumon offered other reasons beyond stubborn insistence Floramon's partner just didn't need help. It might be something else; anger, fear, worry, doubt, or any other combinations of emotions. Something keeping him from speaking to or relying on others.

He'd never encountered Bruce, in person or otherwise. Everything for him is conjecture; but it fit. Hiding all the time. Not talking. Something was wrong, but what?]

If he's really nice, then he'd definitely say something. Everyone knows just ignoring someone and pretending they're not there is a lot meaner than just asking them to go away. You might never know why he's quiet all the time. Try the things I suggested, it might help.

[amygdalae]

You think so? [Will just giving him food and stuff actually help? Floramon can't help but be skeptical about it.]

[brokenground]

For humans, an important part of showing they care for each other, is demonstrating it with actions and not just words. They like food as much as we do, and some humans are pretty chatty when they eat. If you can't be there for your partner in all the ways you want to be, you can at least show him you're there at all and trying to do your best to help him. It's a small way and might seem silly, but it certainly can't hurt.

[amygdalae]

...I guess it wouldn't hurt to try...

[But man... where does he even start? Floramon's a bit lost on that.]

[brokenground]

That's the spirit. All we can ever do is give it a go, and persist until we know absolutely it isn't working, even if it takes a while. ... I do hope something works though.

[No digimon deserved a partner that didn't treat them like one..]

[amygdalae]

Me too... I don't know how Bruce feels about me, but I really like him. The first time we met, he told me that the moment I thought he was being a bad partner, I should leave him and find a better partner.

...nobody really says these kind of things, you know?

[brokenground]

... I don't think our partners really understand that .. that's not how it works. We can't just find some other person walking around. For better or worse, it's them we're here for. We waited for them, not some other person.

[Bruce was stuck with his partners, whether he liked it or not.]

.... I don't suppose more hugs are an option. Some humans respond well to them, but others flip out.

[amygdalae]

Yeah, I explained that to him before, but then he didn't seem happy about it after I said it.

[Shuffles for a bit here. Really, the more he talks, the more Floramon realizes how little he knows about Bruce... its not a pleasant though.]

And I'm not sure if a hug will work... he doesn't seem like the touchy kind of person. [The complete opposite of Tony, really. Floramon wonders again how he and Tony can actually be friends.]

[brokenground]

... Mine didn't either. I always thought they'd be happy. That no matter what they've done good or bad, someone out there likes them and wants to be around them. ... Two I guess, with SCOPE involved..

[Shouldn't people be happy? But so many weren't. There was more than one Biyomon with a recalcitrant partner..]

Hugs doesn't work for everyone. ...Most people maybe. I don't know. I'm sure someone will have a better idea of what to do to help.

[amygdalae]

I hope so...

[A small sigh, and Floramon wilts.]

I always thought it would be easy, you know? Especially when you hear stuff about the other digimon, how happy they are with each other. It's so hard to think something like this could happen.

[brokenground]

... It.. It doesn't seem completely uncommon, at least. There's at least four of us, that don't have the sort of partnership we should have. All we can really do is hang in there and keep trying.

[It's no consolation at all. Dorumon didn't get on the best with his parter. Biyomon and Forte didn't either.. A different Biyomon and Ringabel seemed to have it not quite right too, and now Floramon as well..

Was it an epidemic?]

[amygdalae]

[Maybe it is, who knows. Floramon certainly thinks so.

We should have like a cloud or something. The Digimon with highly problematic Chosen.

[Emphasis on 'highly' and 'problematic'.]

[brokenground]

... Well. Maybe we should. It's a good idea. At least then we'd all know we're not dealing with it alone, and other people are having problems.. ...But how will we get to the cloud?

[Clouds, like the things floating in the sky?]

wow I am so tired I didn't even see that typo, go me

[amygdalae]

[Cloud...? Oh, wait--he didn't mean that. SEE HE'S SO FRUSTRATED HE CAN'T EVEN SAY WORDS RIGHT.]

Well a cloud would be cool, but I meant a club. Club! We should have a club for these things, if there're so many of us with these problems.

[brokenground]

[Clouds and clubs are to Dorumon very different things. Unless the club was happening on the cloud, but that circled around to 'how to get up there' and associated problems. He rubs his nose with one paw, thoughtful.]

A club makes a lot more sense. Maybe it would be a good thing, even without the clouds.

[amygdalae]

[Yup, a club is totally what they need. It sounds like a better idea already the more he thinks about it.]

We really should have one. That way we can all help each other when he have these problems. [Like right now.]

[brokenground]

The tricky part is going to be finding everyone who has problems. There might be digimon who just aren't saying that they're having a hard time and things aren't working how it should.

[But support is good, isn't it? Maybe it'd help all of them come to terms with their ideas being so awry from how it actually went..]

[amygdalae]

That's what we're for! We know what its like having difficult humans, so we can look out for the signs!

[brokenground]

Maybe if we put out an anonymous message for other digimon to respond anonymously to if they're worried about people knowing.. and then arrange things from there..! .. I don't know, I'm not as good at planning stuff out as my partner is.

[amygdalae]

We can start from there! I mean, its as good as anything.

[brokenground]

Yeah. Hopefully we can figure out collectively what to do about our Chosen, no matter what their problems are caused from. Then we can get back to business! .. But since it's your idea, I'll let you start it.

[amygdalae]

Really? Great! [See how he sparkles here, Dorumon.] I should ask Port to see if she's interested...

[brokenground]

[Sparkles are a good thing! It means enthusiasm, and that things would be okay! ...didn't it?]

Who's Port? Is she having problems with her Chosen too?